BIBLE SOCIETY.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 998, 17 September 1903, Page 3

BIBLE SOCIETY.

SCRIPTURE READING IN SCHOOLS RECOMMENDED.

Tho public meeting held in the Theatre Royal on Tuesday evening under the auspices of the Bible Society was largely attended, Mr C. A. DeLautour presiding. AmoDgst those present on the platform wero tho Rev. H. Williams, Chatterton, Welsh, and Rothwell, and Messrs Stafford, Campbell Thomson, W. L. Rees, Graham, and Somervell.

The Chairman, in opening the meeting, gave the result of the plebiscite taken in I Gisborne and the prize-winners in the essay competition, both of which have been published. The Rev. H. ‘Williams, in the course of an eloquent address, moved the following resolution, “ In the opinion of this meeting it is desirable that the Bible should be read in the public schools.” The speaker quoted the remarks of Lord Tennyson, Governor General of Australia, in a letter welcoming the British and Foreign Bible Society’s delegates at Melbourne, in which he stated that ho had never made any secret of his strong belief that the Bible should be read in every school throughout the land, for a nation could not be based on mere moral philosophy. Special value attached to this testimony, bocause it could not be said that Lord Tennyson was paid for saying it. It was ofton said in regard to ministers, “ Oh yes, you speak in that way because it is your business to say so.” Continuing, Mr Williams quoted a j lengthy extract from the writings of Professor Huxley, showing tho value that he attachod to the study of tho Bible for I educational purposes. Referring to our national system of education, Mr Williams contended that an education may be secular and yet permit of Bible reading in the schools. The proposal was no new one, for the provisions of the original Act provided for the reading of the Lord’s Prayer and a short catechism in the schools each morning. He criticised the Premier’s attitude in regard to the question, stating that it reminded him of rEsop’s fable of the story of the fox and the stork. The fox invited the stork to dinner, which was servod up in a shallow dish. This was right into the hands of the fox, but did not allow the stork to make much of a dinner. “Mr Seddon is the fox,” added Mr Williams. “He complains that the ministers have not made use of the advantages afforded them to give instruction out of school hours, but we all know tho insurmountable difficulties that they have to cope with.” Passing on Mr Williams detailed the disadvantages in regard to giving instruction out of school hours, and concluded an instructive address by urging all present to do what they could to arouse the enthusiasm of the public on the question.

Mr Campbell Thomson, in seconding the resolution, said be felt very strongly on the question, for to exclude the Bible from the public schools appoared to him to be a terrible calamity. It was in ore terrible than most people considered, for it was practically a denial of God, Who had said that they who honored Him He would honor. It was a bad thing for the country if the exclusion of the Bible from the schools wore continued, for they could not dishonor God without feeling the effects of it. He knew what the Book was, and it was a terrible thought that their children should be deprived of the knowledge of it. The loss to their children was incalculable, and not only to the children, but to the community. He pleaded to the townsmen and townswomen of Gisborne to be up and doing, and seek to get the Bible introduced into the schools again. Mr DeLautour said the platform was open to any person in the audience to speak on the question. >They desired free discussion. . Mr Somervell knew the value of Bible reading in schools from personal experience, and he wanted to see the Bible introduced. He bad fought for secular education for years, and he felt there was something wanting. The present generation had not the same reverence and veneration for the Supreme Maker as their fathers had, and the reason for this was the absence of Bible reading in the schools. ... , Mr W. L. Bees, in a forcible spoech, stated that Mr DeLautour and himself had sat in the House in 1877, when the present Education Bill was introduced, and had both voted for tho retention of the clause providing for the reading of the Lord’s Prayer and Catechism. The Bible had ever been tho stay of. the English people. Literature was at its brightest, the arms of the sea most invincible, and commerce greatest at the time when the nation was most religious. They sent missionaries to all parts of tho world, yet they denied the Bible to their schools. The Premier had blamed tho ministers, but tho Kev. Williams had shown how insuperable were the difficulties interposed. Parliament openod with prayer. Every Congress in the world did likewise, and if they doemed it well to do this before their deliberations how much more important was it that the children should ‘ do so. “ Eor the sake of God, let us not forsake our, children and abandon them to what wo are seeing every day,” said Mr Bees. “What is the cause of so much * irreverence, of juvenile crime and depravity ? These many defects of character in the young are due to the absolute ignorance in which they are brought up concerning the Bible.” The majority of the young people did not even know the most common scriptural allusions. He hoped that the Bible Society would prospor, and attain the object they were now seeking. Mr W. Morris, of Te Karaka, told the audience what the Bible had done for him. ■ “It is the Book I love best of all books, You can take away all your histories and leave mo tho Biblo, it is the best history of all. The Bible has made England what it is, and we in New Zealand owe everything to the Bible.” He would do all in his power to carry out the object of the motion. Mr F. Stafford considered that the lessons a boy learned before ho was twelve years of age stood to him for all time. Education was something he could not got when a boy, and children of the present age wero specially favored. Ho wanted to see the Bible introduced into the schools, knowing that the lessons the children would leam would keep them from wrong-doing. The Bev. Walsh was thoroughly in sympathy with the movement. The backbone of the country in prosperity was knowing the Word of God and keeping it. It was essential for a nation to do this. He was sorry to hear what the Premier thought in regard to the Bible in schools. Ho would like the Premier to try and impart instruction on the same conditions as ho expected Ministers to do it. He (the Bev. Wolsh) had conducted many confirmation classes, aDd had found a lamentable ignorance on the part of the candidates in regard to the Bible. Every effort should be made to have it introduced into the schools and read during school hours. The Bev. Bothwell heartily supported the motion, holding that no education could be complete without a knowledge of the Bible. The language of all great authors owed its attractiveness to the writers’ knowledge of the Bible, and many Of the finest quotations in English literature to-day could not be understood by men who do not know the Bible. They required to awaken the Christian conscience on this important question. Mr Bothwell concluded, “The passages of scripture that I can quote correctly are the passages I learnt when very young,” The Bev. Chatterton said that it. was a very noticeable fact that everywhere that the plebiscite had been taken there had been an overwhelming majority in favor of having tho Bible read. Thore being this unanimity of opinion they should be able to achieve the object that they had in view. Four questions' suggested themselves to his mind, “ Where is that instruction to be given ? When is it to be given ? What kind of instruction is to be given ? and by whom is it to be given '?” In regard to the first

question it had been said that the place for the instruction was the home, but they all knew that if it was left at that there would bo little chance of many of the children being instructed, especially in the country, where work was carried on at all hours during the day. He contended that that instruction should be given in the schools by the teachers during school hours. The speaker, in conclusion, expressed pleasure at seeing the meeting so unanimous on the

question. The Eev. H. Williams shortly replied. Speaking of the referendum suggested by Hr Seddon, the rev. gentleman remarked, » I think that this cry about the referendum is a piece of despicable cowardice on the part of the Government who are shirking the question.” As a rule, they did not find Mr Seddon so backward. The Premier told them that facilities were afforded for the ministers to give instruction in the schools and offhaudedly stated that if a referendum were taken it wonld cost £54,000. A voice ! ** He knows nothing about the Bible.” Mr Wilson thought that after hearing so many eloquent speeches to much on the question would bo like painting the lily or gilding refined gold. All he desired was that Mr Seddon should receive a full report of the meeting. A vote on the question being taken the motion was carried amidst great applause, their being only one dissentient. Mr DeLautour thought the Gisborne auxiliary were to be congratulated on the result of the plebiscite and the meeting that evening. They had hoard some excellent addresses, which in themselves were of great value. They wanted sucn speeches to educate them in regard to the question. The meeting closed with the Benediction. During the evening the students of Te Bau College rendered hymns in an impressive manner.